Sterling Silver Belt Buckle with Fabricated Animals [SOLD]

Born in Quanah, Texas, George (Shukata) Willis has been a working jeweler since 1964. Schooled in art at the University of Texas, Willis later moved to California where he furthered his training at the Southern California College of Jewelry Design. He creates his designs in gold and silver using the older traditional technique of fabrication. His pieces reflect his Choctaw heritage.

This belt buckle has images of a bison, a turtle, a frog, an eagle, a wolf, a hummingbird, a snake and a bobcat. The artist has fabricated the creatures with a variety of finishes to create different textures. The buckle is signed on the bottom with Willis’ hallmark, an opossum, Shukata in Choctaw.  

Condition: The Sterling Silver Belt Buckle with Fabricated Animals is in excellent condition

Provenance: From the estate of a former client from Oregon who amassed a collection of 40 belt buckles

Recommended Reading: American Indian Jewelry III: M-Z 2,100 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf